Marion County’s water tastes of sweet victory

Published: Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 10:49 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 10:49 p.m.

I loved going to my grandparents’ house as a kid. At their home in a nearby county, we fished, played golf, ate Southern food and generally reveled in my spoiling. But there was one thing I detested: the water.

It was heavily softened, which meant it was treated to remove minerals. I do not know much about minerals, but they must taste really good.

The water at Grandma’s seemed oily, and it did not rinse off soap. No matter how much water rushed over your lathered-up skull, your skull stayed lathered up. That water was not good for drinking or bathing, which happen to be my two favorite uses for water.

I became homesick for Ocala’s water, which is softened some but remains immensely drinkable. Tasty, even.

But while our city water rocks, our county water apparently is the Dom Pérignon of drinking water.

The Florida Rural Water Association this week crowned Marion County Utilities for having the best-tasting water among more than a dozen other competing utilities in the state.

In the highly competitive world of water tasting, Marion County will now represent Florida in the 2014 Great American Water Taste Test in February in Washington, D.C.

No joke.

Marion County Utilities won the state title after bringing an iced, one-quart container of water to the Florida Rural Water Association’s annual conference in Daytona Beach.

“Distinguished taste testers” judged the samples on color, odor, taste and quench factor, according to FRWA.

As for the national title, the defending Great American Water champion is Village of Prairie du Sac in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin?

They know cheese. We know water.

Marion County Utilities has also made waves nationally. In December, MRU won the 2013 National Environmental Achievement Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. MRU won the honor for its Wastewater Regionalization in Support of Silver Springs projects.

Too bad there is no award for Most Cumbersome Municipal Project Name.

No matter. We are set for a triple crown when we take our thirst-quenching, odor-free, one-quart container of H2Ohhh YEAH to Washington. We are a competitive bunch here in Marion County, and we thirst for a good rivalry, even if we have no clue where Village of Prairie du Sac is.

We just know our water is No. 1, suckers!

Nature has a lot to do with our water quality, as our water is rooted in the Floridan aquifer. Still, I think of this as a community title, a refection not only of our pristine springs and MRU’s diligent care, but also of us. We chose to live here. We pay our utility bills. We do not have shampoo in our hair.

<p>I loved going to my grandparents' house as a kid. At their home in a nearby county, we fished, played golf, ate Southern food and generally reveled in my spoiling. But there was one thing I detested: the water.</p><p>It was heavily softened, which meant it was treated to remove minerals. I do not know much about minerals, but they must taste really good.</p><p>The water at Grandma's seemed oily, and it did not rinse off soap. No matter how much water rushed over your lathered-up skull, your skull stayed lathered up. That water was not good for drinking or bathing, which happen to be my two favorite uses for water.</p><p>I became homesick for Ocala's water, which is softened some but remains immensely drinkable. Tasty, even.</p><p>But while our city water rocks, our county water apparently is the Dom Pérignon of drinking water.</p><p>The Florida Rural Water Association this week crowned Marion County Utilities for having the best-tasting water among more than a dozen other competing utilities in the state.</p><p>In the highly competitive world of water tasting, Marion County will now represent Florida in the 2014 Great American Water Taste Test in February in Washington, D.C.</p><p>No joke.</p><p>Marion County Utilities won the state title after bringing an iced, one-quart container of water to the Florida Rural Water Association's annual conference in Daytona Beach.</p><p>“Distinguished taste testers” judged the samples on color, odor, taste and quench factor, according to FRWA.</p><p>As for the national title, the defending Great American Water champion is Village of Prairie du Sac in Wisconsin.</p><p>Wisconsin?</p><p>They know cheese. We know water.</p><p>Marion County Utilities has also made waves nationally. In December, MRU won the 2013 National Environmental Achievement Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies. MRU won the honor for its Wastewater Regionalization in Support of Silver Springs projects.</p><p>Too bad there is no award for Most Cumbersome Municipal Project Name.</p><p>No matter. We are set for a triple crown when we take our thirst-quenching, odor-free, one-quart container of H2Ohhh YEAH to Washington. We are a competitive bunch here in Marion County, and we thirst for a good rivalry, even if we have no clue where Village of Prairie du Sac is.</p><p>We just know our water is No. 1, suckers!</p><p>Nature has a lot to do with our water quality, as our water is rooted in the Floridan aquifer. Still, I think of this as a community title, a refection not only of our pristine springs and MRU's diligent care, but also of us. We chose to live here. We pay our utility bills. We do not have shampoo in our hair.</p><p>Thus, we have every right to smack-talk Wisconsin until February.</p><p>It's on, Prairie people. It's on.</p>